david elginbrod-第32章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Hugh　felt　that　he　had；　somehow　or　other；　offended　her。　　But；　to　tell
the　truth；　he　did　not　much　care；　for　her　manner　had　rather　irritated
him。　　He　retired　to　his　own　room；　wrote　to　his　mother；　and；　when
Harry　awoke；　carried　him　again　to　the　barn　for　an　hour's　work　in　the
straw。　　Before　it　grew　dusk；　they　had　finished　a　little；　silent；
dark　chamber；　as　round　as　they　could　make　it；　in　the　heart　of　the
straw。　　All　the　excavated　material　they　had　thrown　on　the　top；
reserving　only　a　little　to　close　up　the　entrance　when　they　pleased。

The　next　morning　was　still　rainy；　and　when　Hugh　found　Harry　in　the
library　as　usual；　he　saw　that　the　clouds　had　again　gathered　over　the
boy's　spirit。　　He　was　pacing　about　the　room　in　a　very　odd　manner。
The　carpet　was　divided　diamond…wise　in　a　regular　pattern。　　Harry's
steps　were；　for　the　most　part；　planted　upon　every　third　diamond；　as
he　slowly　crossed　the　floor　in　a　variety　of　directions；　for；　as　on
previous　occasions；　he　had　not　perceived　the　entrance　of　his　tutor。
But；　every　now　and　then；　the　boy　would　make　the　most　sudden　and
irregular　change　in　his　mode　of　progression；　setting　his　foot　on　the
most　unexpected　diamond；　at　one　time　the　nearest　to　him；　at　another
the　farthest　within　his　reach。　　When　he　looked　up；　and　saw　his　tutor
watching　him；　he　neither　started　nor　blushed：　but；　still　retaining
on　his　countenance　the　perplexed；　anxious　expression　which　Hugh　had
remarked；　said　to　him：

〃How　can　God　know　on　which　of　those　diamonds　I　am　going　to　set　my
foot　next？〃

〃If　you　could　understand　how　God　knows；　Harry；　then　you　would　know
yourself；　but　before　you　have　made　up　your　mind；　you　don't　know
which　you　will　choose；　and　even　then　you　only　know　on　which　you
intend　to　set　your　foot；　for　you　have　often　changed　your　mind　after
making　it　up。〃

Harry　looked　as　puzzled　as　before。

〃Why；　Harry；　to　understand　how　God　understands；　you　would　need　to　be
as　wise　as　he　is；　so　it　is　no　use　trying。　　You　see　you　can't　quite
understand　me；　though　I　have　a　real　meaning　in　what　I　say。〃

〃Ah！　　I　see　it　is　no　use；　but　I　can't　bear　to　be　puzzled。〃

〃But　you　need　not　be　puzzled；　you　have　no　business　to　be　puzzled。
You　are　trying　to　get　into　your　little　brain　what　is　far　too　grand
and　beautiful　to　get　into　it。　　Would　you　not　think　it　very　stupid　to
puzzle　yourself　how　to　put　a　hundred　horses　into　a　stable　with
twelve　stalls？〃

Harry　laughed；　and　looked　relieved。

〃It　is　more　unreasonable　a　thousand　times　to　try　to　understand　such
things。　　For　my　part；　it　would　make　me　miserable　to　think　that　there
was　nothing　but　what　I　could　understand。　　I　should　feel　as　if　I　had
no　room　anywhere。　　Shall　we　go　to　our　cave　again？〃

〃Oh！　yes；　please；〃　cried　Harry；　and　in　a　moment　he　was　on　Hugh's
back　once　more；　cantering　joyously　to　the　barn。

After　various　improvements；　including　some　enlargement　of　the
interior；　Hugh　and　Harry　sat　down　together　in　the　low　yellow
twilight　of　their　cave；　to　enjoy　the　result　of　their　labours。　　They
could　just　see；　by　the　light　from　the　tunnel；　the　glimmer　of　the
golden　hollow　all　about　them。　　The　rain　was　falling　heavily
out…of…doors；　and　they　could　hear　the　sound　of　the　multitudinous
drops　of　the　broken　cataract　of　the　heavens　like　the　murmur　of　the
insects　in　a　summer　wood。　　They　knew　that　everything　outside　was
rained　upon；　and　was　again　raining　on　everything　beneath　it；　while
they　were　dry　and　warm。

〃This　is　nice！〃　exclaimed　Harry；　after　a　few　moments　of　silent
enjoyment。

〃This　is　your　first　lesson　in　architecture；〃　said　Hugh。

〃Am　I　to　learn　architecture？〃　asked　Harry；　in　a　rueful　tone。

〃It　is　well　to　know　how　things　came　to　be　done；　if　you　should　know
nothing　more　about　them；　Harry。　　Men　lived　in　the　cellars　first　of
all；　and　next　on　the　ground　floor；　but　they　could　get　no　further
till　they　joined　the　two；　and　then　they　could　build　higher。〃

〃I　don't　quite　understand　you；　sir。〃

〃I　did　not　mean　you　should；　Harry。〃

〃Then　I　don't　mind；　sir。　　But　I　thought　architecture　was　building。〃

〃So　it　is；　and　this　is　one　way　of　building。　　It　is　only　making　an
outside　by　pulling　out　an　inside；　instead　of　making　an　inside　by
setting　up　an　outside。〃

Harry　thought　for　a　while；　and　then　said　joyfully：

〃I　see　it；　sir！　　I　see　it。　　The　inside　is　the　chief　thingnot　the
outside。〃

〃Yes；　Harry；　and　not　in　architecture　only。　　Never　forget　that。〃

They　lay　for　some　time　in　silence；　listening　to　the　rain。　　At　length
Harry　spoke：

〃I　have　been　thinking　of　what　you　told　me　yesterday；　Mr。　Sutherland；
about　the　rain　going　to　look　for　the　seeds　that　were　thirsty　for　it。
And　now　I　feel　just　as　if　I　were　a　seed；　lying　in　its　little　hole
in　the　earth；　and　hearing　the　rain…drops　pattering　down　all　about
it；　waitingoh；　so　thirsty！for　some　kind　drop　to　find　me　out；　and
give　me　itself　to　drink。　　I　wonder　what　kind　of　flower　I　should　grow
up；〃　added　he；　laughing。

〃There　is　more　truth　than　you　think；　in　your　pretty　fancy；　Harry；〃
rejoined　Hugh；　and　was　silentself…rebuked；　for　the　memory　of　David
came　back　upon　him；　recalled　by　the　words　of　the　boy；　of　David；　whom
he　loved　and　honoured　with　the　best　powers　of　his　nature；　and　whom
yet　he　had　neglected　and　seemed　to　forget；　nay；　whom　he　had
partially　forgottenhe　could　not　deny。　　The　old　man；　whose　thoughts
were　just　those　of　a　wise　child；　had　said　to　him　once：

〃We　ken　no　more；　Maister　Sutherlan'；　what　we're　growin'　till；　than
that　neep…seed　there　kens　what　a　neep　is；　though　a　neep　it　will　be。
The　only　odds　is；　that　we　ken　that　we　dinna　ken；　and　the　neep…seed
kens　nothing　at　all　aboot　it。　　But　ae　thing；　Maister　Sutherlan'；　we
may　be　sure　o'：　that；　whatever　it　be；　it　will　be　worth　God's　makin'
an'　our　growin'。〃

A　solemn　stillness　fell　upon　Hugh's　spirit；　as　he　recalled　these
words；　out　of　which　stillness；　I　presume；　grew　the　little　parable
which　follows；　though　Hugh；　after　he　had　learned　far　more　about　the
things　therein　hinted　at；　could　never　understand　how　it　was；　that　he
could　have　put　so　much　more　into　it；　than　he　seemed　to　have
understood　at　that　period　of　his　history。

For　Harry　said：

〃Wouldn't　this　be　a　nice　place　for　a　story；　Mr。　Sutherland？　　Do　you
ever　tell　stories；　sir？〃

〃I　was　just　thinking　of　one；　Harry；　but　it　is　as　much　yours　as　mine；
for　you　sowed　the　seed　of　the　story　in　my　mind。〃

〃Do　you　mean　a　story　that　never　was　in　a　booka　story　out　of　your
own　head？　　Oh！　that　will　be　grand！〃

〃Wait　till　we　see　what　it　will　be；　Harry；　for　I　can't　tell　you　how
it　will　turn　out。〃

After　a　little　further　pause；　Hugh　began：

〃Long；　long　ago；　two　seeds　lay　beside　each　other　in　the　earth；
waiting。　　It　was　cold；　and　rather　wearisome；　and；　to　beguile　the
time；　the　one　found　means　to　speak　to　the　other。

〃'What　are　you　going　to　be？'　said　the　one。

〃'I　don't　know；'　answered　the　other。

〃'For　me；'　rejoined　the　first；　'I　mean　to　be　a　rose。　　There　is
nothing　like　a　splendid　rose。　　Everybody　will　love　me　then！'

〃'It's　all　right；'　whispered　the　second；　and　that　was　all　he　could
say；　for　somehow　when　he　had　said　that；　he　felt　as　if　all　the　words
in　the　world　were　used　up。　　So　they　were　silent　again　for　a　day　or
two。

〃'Oh；　dear！'　cried　the　first；　'I　have　had　some　water。　　I　never　knew
till　it　was　inside　me。　　I'm　growing！　　I'm　growing！　　Good…bye！'

〃'Good…bye！'　repeated　the　other；　and　lay　still；　and　waited　more　than
ever。

〃The　first　grew　and　grew；　pushing　itself　straight　up；　till　at　last
it　felt　that　it　was　in　the　open　air；　for　it　could　breathe。　　And　what
a　delicious　breath　that　was！　　It　was　rather　cold；　but　so　refreshing。
The　flower　could　see　nothing；　for　it　was　not　quite　a　flower　yet；
only　a　plant；　and　they　never　see　till　their　eyes　come；　that　is；　till
they　open　their　blossomsthen　they　are　flowers　quite。　　So　it　grew
and　grew；　and　kept　its　head　up　very　steadily；　meaning　to　see　the　sky
the　first　thing；　and　leave　the　earth　quite　behind　as　well　as　beneath
it。　　But　somehow　or　other；　though　why　it　could　not　tell；　it　felt
very　much　inclined　to　cry。　　At　length　it　opened　its　eye。　　It　was
morning；　and　the　sky　was　over　its　head；　but；　alas！　itself　was　no
roseonly　a　tiny　white　flower。　　It　felt　yet　more　inclined　to　hang
down　its　head　and　to